Question 72671
A rectangle scale used to weigh an elephant seal is 8 feet longer than it is wide. The area of the scale is 33 square feet. What are the dimensions of the scale?

Let width be x feet
Then length would be x+8 , as its given scale is 8 feet longer then its width

Area of rectangle is given by

Area= length * width
Area of scale  = x(x+8) sq feet

x ( x+8 ) = 33

x^2 +8x -33 =0

Solving above quadratic by factorization

x^2 + 11x -3x -33 =0
x(x+11) -3 ( x+11)=0
(x+11)(x-3) =0

So either x = 3

x = -11

x cannot be negative as width cannot be negative  so x = 3 is the answer

So width of scale is 3
hope this helps